The Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation is the non-profit affiliate of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District. We inspire innovation and excellence in the school district through scholarship, faculty innovation grants, and by creating goodwill in our communities.

Spring Cleaning at Definitely You: March 29-30

Back by popular demand! Stop by Definitely You for our eighth annual Spring Cleaning event on March 29 and 30! Enjoy discounted prices on Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, and Pitt merchandise all weekend. This fundraiser supports the "Entering the Workforce Scholarship," which is awarded to a student graduating from Baldwin High School who has already secured full-time employment or is pursuing their own entrepreneurial interests.
Enjoy:
  • Huge sales of Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, and Pitt merchandise
  • Free t-shirt with every purchase
  • Lottery to win a $50 gift card (four winners will be announced on April 1

Thank you for shopping! 20% of your purchase supports the Entering the Workforce Scholarship. Special thanks to owner Bruce Bobak and the Definitely You staff for their support.

Tickets On Sale Now:  2nd Annual Tastebuds Jr.

Join us for the second annual Tastebuds Jr. culinary tasting event on May 15, 2025, at R. A. Lutz Elementary School!

This event blends delicious cuisine with the power of friendship and networking. Baldwin High School students facilitate the event and serve in multiple roles: as greeters, sous-chefs, food servers, information table managers, sales agents, and more! It supports those students who participate in the Best Buddies program by providing an opportunity to further develop networking skills over delicious local food. 
Last year, the event drew more than 100 attendees who enjoyed cuisine from dozens of local eateries. The event raised over $3,100 in support of the Baldwin High School Best Buddies Club and Best Buddies PA. Tickets are on sale now and we are currently seeking vendors and donations. 

Introducing the Bella Burkhart Memorial Scholarship for Rehabilitation Services

BWEF is honored to introduce the Bella Burkhart Memorial Scholarship for Rehabilitation Services this academic year to seniors at Baldwin High School who are pursuing careers in the rehabilitation services fields (i.e. occupational, physical, or speech therapists). In its first year, the scholarship will be awarded to one student in the value of $500.

The scholarship was established through the Bella Burkhart Memorial Fund to honor the vibrant spirit of Bella (2021-2024), whose journey taught those around her powerful lessons in courage, love, and the preciousness of life. The Burkhart Family wants to reciprocate the compassion and generosity that they received during Bella's time of need by supporting a student who is pursuing a career in rehabilitation services, a field that played a significant role in Bella's treatment and care.
Picture
Bella Burkhart

BWEF would like to thank Emily Burkhart and the Burkhart family for this collaboration. We are honored to be a part of Bella's legacy.
New Scholarship: Harry and Carol Erbe Industrial Arts Scholarship
BWEF is pleased to offer the Harry and Carol Erbe Industrial Arts Scholarship beginning this academic year to current Baldwin High School seniors who excel in the industrial arts discipline (i.e. engineering, machinery, welding, woodworking metalworking, automotive, graphic design, computer aided drafting, etc.). The scholarship will be awarded to two students in the value of $5,000 each and was established in 2025 to honor the memory of Mr. Harry Erbe (BHS '59), who had a successful career for 37 years with the Shell Oil Company and was highly respected in the industry.
Picture
Harry and Carol Erbe

BWEF and BWSD Invest $18K in Innovation Grants to Enhance Curriculum

The Baldwin-Whitehall Education Foundation (BWEF) and the Baldwin-Whitehall School District (BWSD) are awarding more than $18,000 in innovation seed grants to support seven creative projects across the district. These grants will introduce fresh ideas and hands-on learning experiences into the spring curriculum, enriching student engagement and academic growth. Funding comes from BWEF’s generous community partners and BWSD’s Tugboat Grant: Future Farmers, which was awarded to the district to support initiatives that catalyze change in the district.

This year’s funded projects include:
  • Blooming Together: An Inclusive Hydroponic Garden* – Marissa Gallagher, Baldwin High School & J. E. Harrison Middle School
  • Empowering Critical Thinkers – Katie Haney, Kristen Knorr, Rebecca Wolf, Heather Musolino, Missy Hoffman, Jamie Bonacorso, Katie Neyman, R. A. Lutz Elementary School
  • Enhancing Student Engagement with Microscope Camera Viewers – Lara Dorman, Stephanie Neal, & Rachele Felix, Baldwin High School
  • Game Changer: Board Edition – Katherine Musselman & Holly Niemi, Baldwin High School & J. E. Harrison Middle School
  • Growing at Harrison Middle School* – Sarah Mueller, J. E. Harrison Middle School
  • Lutz Elementary School Courtyard Garden* – Lauren Hustwit, R. A. Lutz Elementary School
  • Voices Without Borders – Marissa Gallagher & Andrea Huffman, R. A. Lutz Elementary School
*Project funded by the Tugboat grant.

These grants reflect a continued commitment to fostering innovation, sustainability, and hands-on learning in our schools. Congratulations to all the recipients!

BWEF Flash Raffle: Congratulations, Vanessa!

Vanessa Saut, teacher at J.E. Harrison Middle School, was the lucky winner of a BWEF flash raffle and won a Penguins Encounter for four at the National Aviary of Pittsburgh! Congratulations, Vanessa!

BWEF hosts flash raffles as a way of saying thanks to personnel in the BWSD. We can gift tickets to an upcoming event, redeemable vouchers, gift cards, etc., to members of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District and they make for fantastic surprises. Would you like to donate an item to a BWEF flash raffle? Learn more on our flash raffle webpage.

Now Available: Road Safety Yard Signs

BWEF is thrilled to offer road safety yard signs to residents of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District. These signs, perfect for display on front lawns, were creatively designed by Maddie Kincaid from McAnnulty Elementary School and Marley Murajda from Baldwin High School as part of an artwork contest aimed at inspiring safer, more responsible driving in our community. Learn more on our road safety signage page.

Purple Pantry Donations

The Purple Pantry at Baldwin High School provides basic life essentials (clean clothing, personal hygiene supplies, and toiletries) to students in a private setting so that homeless and the most at-risk students in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District will be put in position to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. BWEF accepts donations at all times and hosts collection drives throughout the year. Cash donations are used to replenish the inventory and we are grateful to the Baldwin-Whitehall communities for their support of this initiative.

Establish a Scholarship?

BWEF welcomes scholarship opportunities in the name of an individual donor, business, group, alumni, and/or community engagement opportunity with a minimum value of $500. Each year, we award several scholarships to graduating seniors from Baldwin High School through multiple scholarships, and thanks to our community partners, BWEF awarded more than $30,000 in scholarship value during the 2023-24 academic year.

Pathways to Support BWEF

There are a variety of ways to support the Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation. Whether you want to become a community partner, establish an endowment fund, attend/host a fundraiser, or join the foundation as a member, we are always looking for ways to expand our network and our impact. Contact us at [email protected] to start a conversation.
Follow us on social media!